The role of combining immunotherapy with primary (Chemo)radiotherapy in curative treatment settings of the head and neck cancer. Issue 2 (23rd June 2021) - Dua, Divyanshu
Abstract: The introduction of immunotherapy into the radical management of head and neck cancer (HNC) is a fast moving phenomenon, which is constantly developing. Although now established in the management of recurrent and metastatic disease in HNC, its use in radical treatment is being investigated in a whole spectrum of clinical trials looking at which immune altering agents give the best results, which can be added safely to radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and chemoradiotherapy for greatest efficiency and when the most appropriate time to add these agents is in the neoadjuvant, concurrent on adjuvant settings. These multiple questions produce a complex matrix for HNC investigators and this article brings together the existing evidence and contemporary trials going on with immunotherapy in HNC, giving an up to date snapshot of present investigations and near future directions for further research. Abstract : The role of immunotherapy (IO) in recurrent/metastatic head neck cancer (HNC) is well defined. At present, there is no level one evidence of its role in curative settings. However, there are number of ongoing trials which may define its role in future.